A Little Prank Goes a Long Way
by katergator
Summary: When Beast Boy and Cyborg play a prank on Starfire and Robin, Starfire learns that being embarrassed has its good sides... oneshot


Gloved hands gripped the game controller, fingers expertly flying over the controls. Sweat dripped from brows knitted in concentration, and a tongue protruded slightly out the corner of a fanged mouth.

"NO!"

In defeat, Beast Boy jumped up, dropping the controller and clutching his hair in agony. Cyborg grinned, then cast an annoyed glare as his game station controller hit the ground with a thud.

"Chill man, it's just a game."

"No! You just beat my high score!"

Cyborg looked up at the screen, blinking impatiently for him to enter in his celebrated initials. "Well all right," he said happily. Beast Boy growled and crossed his arms.

"Friends!"

Both boys looked over to see Starfire enter the room, arms raised in classic Starfire fashion.

"Hey Star," Cyborg greeted her.

"Please, I wish to inquire if you have finished your game of videos? It is my desire to view the Opera of the Soap. Today we are to discover if the real father of Natisha's unborn child is Orlando or Fred, and Martha and Jonathon are finally about to confess their undying affections for each other!" Starfire gleamed happily as she jumped onto the couch.

Cyborg and Beast Boy raised their eyebrows.

"I didn't know you were into soaps, Star...?" Beast Boy said, momentarily forgetting the loss of his high score.

"Oh yes, I find the unbelievable characters and overly dramatic and cheesy plots most enthralling."

Cyborg and Beast Boy shrugged. Starfire turned the channel to her soap opera and leaned forward intently.

_"Orlando, you know this baby is yours," Natisha insisted, pointing to her protruding stomach. "No way Natisha. I ain't taking responsibility for this. That baby is no more mine than you ain't a hussy," Orlando bit out, violent hand gestures accenting his harsh words. "What about Fred? There's some controversy over this, ain't there?"_

_"Fred has nothing to do with it!" Natisha began, tears rimming her eyes. "It was one hot night in Acapulco, and I was drunk!"_

_She began to cry. _

"How horrible!" Starfire exclaimed, pressing her hands to her cheeks.

_"Yes, I had my father killed so I could take over his multi-million dollar business. Does that make me a bad person?"_

_"Well... it usually doesn't reflect too well with the rest of society..." The nervous assistant sweated and tugged on his collar. _

_"Hmm, yes I suppose it doesn't. So, in order for this to not have a negative effect on my company and social standing, I should probably keep it a secret, don't you think?"_

_"Um-- yes I suppose. That would probably be wise..."_

_"You know, I find that sometimes people aren't too good at keeping secrets. Do you understand what I mean, Mr. Bereford?"_

_"What are you saying, sir!" Bereford squeaked. _

_"Secrets are pretty easy to contain, if you get rid of the one who contains it." The boss grinned eerily as his pulled out a revolver. _

"Eeeek! What a horrid man!" Starfire shrieked, ducking under a pillow.

_"Martha, there's something I've been meaning to tell you," Jonathon said hesitantly. _

_"Oh Jonathon, tell me please!" Martha said desperately. _

_"I love you, Martha," he said huskily, pulling her into his arms, embracing her tightly. _

_"I love you too, Jonathon," Martha exclaimed, looking deep into Jonathon's endless blue eyes. _

_"I was worried you didn't feel the same for me," Jonathon admitted. _

_"Jonathon!"_

_"Martha!"_

_The two proceeded to kiss passionately. _

"Ooooh..." Starfire's eyes were wide and watery as she clasped her hands in front of her, a sweet sad smile wavering on her lips.

Beast Boy and Cyborg snickered. Suddenly, Beast Boy had a light bulb of an idea.

"Cyborg," he whispered, moving the metallic titan away from the back of the couch where they had been standing over Starfire.

"What is it, B?" he asked.

"I've got an idea for the best prank ever," Beast Boy grinned maliciously.

"What is it?" Cyborg asked curiously, a mischievous gleam in his eyes.

"Remember yesterday when you wanted me to ask Robin where your wrench was?"

_Beast Boy shifted his form from cheetah back to human at the door to the evidence room, aka Robin's Office as he liked to call it, or "Robin's nest" as Beast Boy liked to joke, or "the black hole which periodically swallows him in entirety and does not reproduce him until hours later" as Starfire fondly named it. _

_Nonetheless, Beast Boy entered through the hissing door and found Robin sitting at his desk, seemingly engrossed in his work. _

_As Beast Boy approached however, Robin was startled to realize someone was in the room, jumped about a foot into the air, and dropped the paper he had been writing on. As it fluttered to the floor to rest in front of Beast Boy's stylish sneakers, Robin in vain attempted to grab it before Beast Boy could see what he had written. _

_Starfire's name was scrawled heavily in pen as though it had been traced several times, with a series of hearts around it. Beast Boy was slightly taken aback. Did Robin actually write this? It seemed pretty out of character for the smooth and controlled leader of the Titans. _

_Before Beast Boy could contemplate this further, Robin snatched up the paper and crumpled it into a ball. _

_"What do you want, Beast Boy?" he asked, sounding rather threatening, almost as if he dared Beast Boy to comment on the doodle. _

_The changeling raised his hands in defense. "I just came to ask you where you put Cyborg's wrench. He needs it for his precious car."_

_"I had it in the garage, cause I was working on the R-cycle. It should be in the red tool chest." Robin sounded rather strained... and out of breath. _

_"Gotcha. He was looking in the blue one," Beast Boy said, withdrawing. He looked at Robin's expression which was clearly indicating that he should take his leave, and then to the crumpled paper in Robin's hand. He grinned. _

_"Beast Boy, I need to get back to work now," Robin said rather pointedly. _

_"Work, sure," Beast Boy said, hiding a snicker as he turned to go. _

"What! Why didn't you tell me this before, B!" Cyborg said incredulously.

"I had forgotten about it," Beast Boy said nonchalantly.

"I knew he had a crush on her," Cyborg said with conviction.

"Yeah yeah," Beast Boy said, waving his hand. "What I'm thinking though, is we could stir a little excitement up. Look at her over there. She's eating that stuff up."

"What are you going to do?" Cyborg asked.

"Follow my lead," Beast Boy said mysteriously.

"Hey Starfire," Beast Boy said, sidling up next to her on the couch. She glanced briefly over at him, then turned her eyes back to the screen.

Beast Boy took a glance at the show, and turned away with his tongue out in disgust. Martha and Jonathon were still proclaiming each other's love with their tongues down each other's throats.

"Hey Star..." Beast Boy started, watching her intently as she continued to sigh as she watched the two lovers.

"Did you ever think about doing that with Robin?"

Starfire jumped up as though someone had lit a fire underneath her.

"What do you mean!" she said, almost abhorred that he should have even suggested such a thing.

"Come on, Star... I know you have a crush on him," Beast Boy said slyly.

"Please, why would I wish to crush Robin?" Starfire questioned, not understanding the slang.

"No, it means that you like Robin more than a friend," Cyborg said, jumping in to the conversation.

"Oh!" Starfire all of a sudden turned decidedly red. She turned her head down and slightly away from her friends. "What has made you draw this conclusion?"

"Oh, just the way you sigh every time he comes near you, and you stare longingly at him all the time, and because you're blushing right now," Beast Boy said, holding his hand in a gesture palm up.

"Please, friends, does this conversation have a point? Because if it does not, I really must be- eeep!"

Cyborg grabbed Starfire's hands before she could walk away.

"You were thinking about you and Robin kissing like that, weren't you?" Beast Boy lightly accused her.

"No! I most definitely was not!" Starfire shouted, hiding her still blushing face in her hands.

"Did you ever think Robin might want to kiss you like that back?" Cyborg said, grinning.

Starfire held her arms around her tightly. "No," she said meekly.

"I think you should try it, Star," Beast Boy said.

"Oh no, I could not! Robin is my friend!"

"Exactly. Here's what you do..."

Beast Boy proceeded to explain several things to a wide-eyed Starfire, who wasn't sure if she believed what her two friends were telling her or not.

"You are positive this is what he wants?" she asked uncertainly.

"Of course! He told me so himself," Beast Boy smirked. Cyborg nodded in reassurance.

"Then... okay. I will heed your advice and... I will... do it."

"That's my girl," Cyborg grinned.

"Go get 'em, tiger," Beast Boy said. As Starfire flew out the sliding doors, Beast Boy and Cyborg slapped each other a high five.

"Ten bucks bet you that Robin'll freak out!" Beast Boy laughed.

"Oh he totally will!" Cyborg said between gasps for air. "But I bet y'all he'll end up kissin' her."

"You're on! I bet ten bucks he won't. He'll be too busy running out of the room!"

"All right... deal?"

"Deal."

Starfire, by now on the verge of being a nervous wreck, floated down the hallway wringing her hands together and mumbling to herself. She was so preoccupied with her thoughts that she didn't even see Raven emerging from her room, nose in a book. The two girls collided with a thud. Raven fell to the ground, losing her page.

"Oof... Starfire!" Raven looked up to see the alien princess rubbing her head and completely out of it. "Hey... what's wrong with you?"

"Nothing... I must find Robin... Have you seen Robin? I am looking for Robin..." she said, slightly higher pitched than normal, and continued floating absently down the hallway. Raven shook her head with a raised eyebrow, picked up her fallen tome and headed towards the living room.

Robin was in his bedroom, stretched out on his bed with legs crossed and reading a newspaper.

Starfire peeked her head in.

"Robin?"

He looked up. "Oh hey Starfire. Come on in."

She hesitantly entered the rest of the way, and approached Robin's bed. He continued reading. Starfire raised one leg onto Robin's bed, then slowly drew the rest of herself up to kneel beside him. Her heart was beating so fast; she hoped it wasn't loud enough that he could hear how nervous she was. She stared at him for a little bit, not quite sure how to proceed.

Robin was aware of Starfire's strange behavior, and he glanced at her out of the corner of his eye.

"You okay Star?"

Starfire jumped. "Yes, yes. Everything is absolutely glorious, hee hee..." She attempted a giggle.

Robin lowered his paper. "Are you sure everything is okay? You seem... nervous."

"Why would you think that, Robin?" Starfire said, wringing her hands again.

"You're really jumpy. Anything you want to talk about?"

"Yes..." she drew out. 'Okay Starfire. Now is your chance...' she thought determinedly to herself.

"Robin, there is something I've been meaning to tell you..." she said, attempting a sultry voice, even as nervous as she was.

Robin's eyebrows raised. "Well... what is it, Star?"

"I... I..."

"Yes?"

"Ooooooh.." Starfire couldn't bring herself to say it. Instead, she leaned forward and kissed him full on the mouth. This time Robin was the one to jump as though someone had set him on fire.

Raven entered the common room to find Beast Boy and Cyborg cackling like... well as Raven would describe it, pin-headed idiots.

"What has you two so worked up?" she asked, heading towards the kitchen and grabbing an apple out of the refrigerator.

"Nothing," Beast Boy managed to say. "Have you got it in position?"

"Yeah, almost there," Cyborg said, maneuvering a joystick on his now handless arm.

"Did you guys say something to Starfire? She wasn't acting like herself," Raven commented.

Beast Boy snickered again. "Come and see for yourself," he beckoned Raven over.

Robin backed away, and Starfire fell backwards onto her hands. She quickly recovered however and scrambled off his bed.

"Robin, I am most sorry! I thought you... at least... they said... I am sorry!"

Starfire zipped out of his room, leaving a very stunned Robin in her wake. Robin blinked a few times, and then cast his eyes towards the door where Starfire had left. A tiny circular device was peeking in next to the door frame, just a few inches above the ground. Robin narrowed his eyes and leapt off his bed. The little device disappeared from his door and Robin burst out into the hallway in time to see Cyborg's radio controlled hand scuttle away. Robin pounded his fist into his hand. Oh they will pay.

"I can't believe you guys did that to Starfire. That's almost... sadistic," Raven said, shaking her head as she watched Starfire zip out of the room, a few tears falling in front of the camera.

"Uh Oh... Rob's comin' this way!" Cyborg exclaimed, setting his hand on hyper speed and quickly returning it to his body.

"Ha! Pay up, he didn't kiss her back!" Beast Boy said triumphantly.

"You guys made a _bet_?" Raven said. "I didn't think you could disgust me more over this whole prank of yours, but once again you morons proved me wrong."

"Oh, come on Raven, we're just having a little fun," Beast Boy whined. "Besides, it's common knowledge that the two like each other, we're just helping them out a little bit."

"It's common knowledge to everyone but the two of them," Raven said. "And you might have just ruined anything that could have been there."

Cyborg and Beast Boy suddenly calmed down and looked slightly ashamed.

"It was supposed to be harmless, that's all," Beast Boy said. "I saw Robin doodling her name. I figured he'd thank me!"

"That was his personal business and it was cruel of you to exploit that," Raven said. "And Cyborg," she said, turning on him, "I expected something like that from Beast Boy, but not from you."

"Aw, come on Raven! They'll be fine..."

"Whatever. I refuse to be connected to this mess in any way," she said, Taking a seat on the couch and opening her book. "Robin's coming, and I can sense that he's _not_ happy."

Cyborg and Beast Boy gulped.

Robin burst through the living room door in a storm cloud.

Cyborg and Beast Boy attempted to look as nonchalant as possible, but weren't very successful.

Robin's ragged breathing could be heard throughout the quiet room. Raven coughed.

Robin jabbed an accusing finger at his fellow Titans. "I know that you guys put Starfire up to that, and I know you were watching the whole thing. I think you're all disgusting, playing off her naiveté like that. I'm going to go find her right now, and when I get back, some of you have some vigorous training to do."

Robin left as quickly and as angrily as he had come in, and Beast Boy and Cyborg grimaced. Raven snickered.

Robin checked the roof, to make sure Starfire hadn't retreated up to her usual spot of solitude. She was not there. He tried her room next, and sure enough, he could hear quiet sniffles and the rustling of her bed comforter.

"Star?" he knocked. "Can I come in?"

"Please, I wish to be left alone."

"I really need to talk to you," he insisted, all the anger he had felt before turning into sympathy.

"Oh Robin, please... I do not think I can face you..."

"Are you embarrassed?" he asked, though he knew it was a stupid question. Of course she was embarrassed.

She didn't answer.

"Can you at least tell me what Beast Boy and Cyborg told you?"

He heard Starfire tread to the door. It slid open.

She looked slightly angry, though there were still remnant tears in her eyes.

"Beast Boy said that you also liked the opera of soaps, and that you wished to... to... well..." Starfire had lost her conviction of tattling for now feeling horribly exposed.

"That I wanted to... what?" he prompted, coming into her room and guiding her to the bed, sitting her down.

"Well... the actors on the television... they..." Starfire looked down, blushing furiously. "They confess their undying love for each other, and... kiss... passionately."

Robin took a second to process things, and then a smile played on his lips. "They told you to act like the actors on the soap operas?"

"Yes," she said, hiding her face in her hands. "Oh, I feel most foolish! I must look as red as a gorgoff..."

"So that's why you were so nervous," Robin said. "I'm sorry they did that Star... but hey, it's okay. You don't have to be embarrassed."  
"Why ever not! I have kissed you..." she stopped at this and looked rather bewildered at the thought. Robin watched her, then felt compelled to quell her fears.

"Well... now..." he leaned forward.

Starfire breathed in deeply, and felt a tingle run through her middle as Robin lightly brushed his lips over hers. "...I have kissed you," he finished, sitting back.

Starfire raised her hand to her lips as a wide smile crossed her face. She inclined her head shyly, and then jumped to grab him in a huge hug. Robin laughed and hugged her back.

"See? What'd I tell you, Rae?" Cyborg said, grinning as the three of them watched through Cyborg's camera in his remote control hand. "Told ya they'd be fine."

"It was a close one," Raven said, not giving in. "Pranks are still dangerous."

"Nah, a little prank never hurt anyone," Beast Boy said, leaning back.

Cyborg sat up and snapped his fingers.

"Hey, grass stain. Cough up ten bucks y'all. He did kiss her after all." Cyborg held out his hand.

"Nuh uh! The bet was made on the preemises... premie... "

"Premises?" Raven offered.

"Yeah, premises... that he did it after she kissed him," Beast Boy insisted.

"No way man, the bet was that he'd kiss her, final. Y'all owe me ten dollars!"

"No way!" Beast Boy was about to jump on Cyborg.

"Raven?" they asked together.

Raven raised a hand to her chin, assessing the whole situation.

"Beast Boy owes Cyborg ten dollars," she decided.

"Raaaaveeeeen!"

"Can it, Beast Boy, or I'll make it twenty."

"That's my girl, see BB? She knows where it's at."

Robin and Starfire stood just outside the door, watching them. Robin shook his head with a smile.

"Guess it's time for their workout, huh?"

"Yes, please, may I help with the routine? I suggest 200 of the push-ups for Beast Boy, and 900 laps around the tower for Cyborg."

Robin nodded. "Yeah, that sounds about right. Shall we?" Robin offered his hand.

"Let's make them perspire!" Starfire shouted enthusiastically, taking Robin's hand and following him into the living room.

Author's Notes: Just a little one-shot I had running around in my head for a few days, and I finally got it typed out yesterday. Hope you guys like it, because I know I can never get enough of cute pointless one-shots starring Robin and Starfire.

Reviews are always spiffy. It's nice to hear from you guys, and what you liked or disliked. Please be tasteful, however.

disclaimer: I don't own the Teen Titans, and I would think that'd be fairly obvious.


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